This is the list of rulers of Morocco, since the establishment of the first Moroccan state in 789. The common and formal titles of these rulers has varied, depending on the time period, since 1957, the designation King has been used.

1.
Mohammed VI of Morocco
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Mohammed VI is the King of Morocco. He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father, Mohammed was the second child and oldest son of Hassan II and his second wife, Lalla Latifa Hammou. On the day of his birth, Mohammed was appointed Heir Apparent and his father was keen on giving him a religious and political education from an early age— at the age of four, he started attending the Quranic school at the Royal Palace. Mohammed completed his primary and secondary studies at Royal College and attained his Baccalaureate in 1981 and his research paper dealt with the Arab-African Union and the Strategy of the Kingdom of Morocco in matters of International Relations. He has also frequented the Imperial College and University of Rabat and he was furthermore appointed President of the Pan Arab Games, and was commissioned a Colonel Major of the Royal Moroccan Army on 26 November 1985. He served as the Coordinator of the Offices and Services of the Royal Armed Forces until 1994, in 1987, Mohammed obtained his first Certificat dÉtudes Supérieures in political sciences, and in July 1988 he obtained a Diplôme dÉtudes Approfondies in public law. In November 1988, he trained in Brussels with Jacques Delors, Mohammed obtained his PhD in law with distinction on 29 October 1993 from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis for his thesis on EEC-Maghreb Relations. On 12 July 1994, he was promoted to the rank of Major General. He speaks Arabic, English, Spanish and French, on 23 July 1999, Mohammed succeeded his father as king, being enthroned in Rabat on 30 July. Shortly after he took the throne, Mohammed VI addressed his nation via television, promising to take on poverty and corruption, while creating jobs, mohammeds reformist rhetoric was opposed by Islamist conservatives, and some of his reforms angered fundamentalists. In February 2004, he enacted a new code, or Mudawana. Mohammed also created the so-called Instance Equité et Réconciliation, which was tasked with researching human rights violations under Hassan II and this move was welcomed by many as promoting democracy, but was also criticized because reports of human rights violations could not name the perpetrators. According to human rights organisations, widespread abuses still exist in Morocco, the 2011 Moroccan protests were motivated by corruption and general political discontentment, as well as by the hardships of the global economic crisis. In December 2010, the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks published diplomatic cables which alleged high-level corruption involving the King himself, in a speech delivered on 9 March 2011, the King said that parliament would receive new powers that enable it to discharge its representative, legislative, and regulatory mission. On 1 July, voters approved a set of reforms proposed by Mohammed. The reforms consisted of the following, The Berber language is a state language along with Arabic. Previously, the king could nominate anybody he wanted for this position regardless of the election results and that was usually the case when no party had a big advantage over the other parties, in terms of the number of seats in the parliament. The prime minister is the head of government and president of the council of government, the prime minister will preside over the Council of Government, which prepares the general policy of the state

2.
Heir apparent
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An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. An heir presumptive, by contrast, is someone who is first in line to inherit a title, today these terms most commonly describe heirs to hereditary titles, particularly monarchies. They are also used metaphorically to indicate an anointed successor to any position of power, in France the title was le Dauphin. See crown prince for more examples and this article primarily describes the term heir apparent in a hereditary system regulated by laws of primogeniture—as opposed to cases where a monarch has a say in naming the heir. An heir presumptive, by contrast, can always be bumped down in the succession by the birth of more closely related in a legal sense to the current title-holder. The clearest example occurs in the case of a title-holder with no children, if at any time he or she were to produce children, they rank ahead of whatever more distant relative had been heir presumptive. Many legal systems assume childbirth is always possible regardless of age or health, in such circumstances a person may be, in a practical sense, the heir apparent but still, legally speaking, heir presumptive. Adelaide was 44 at the time, so pregnancy was even if unlikely. Daughters may inherit titles that descend according to male-preference primogeniture, thus, normally, even an only daughter will not be heir apparent, since at any time a brother might be born who, though younger, would assume that position. Hence, she is an heir presumptive, for example, Queen Elizabeth II was heir presumptive during the reign of her father, King George VI, because at any stage up to his death, George could have fathered a legitimate son. In a system of absolute primogeniture that disregards gender, female heirs apparent occur, several European monarchies that have adopted such systems in the last few decades furnish practical examples. Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway is heir apparent to her father, Victoria was not heir apparent from birth, but gained the status in 1980 following a change in the Swedish Act of Succession. Her younger brother Carl Philip was thus heir apparent for a few months, then, as the representative of her fathers line she would assume a place ahead of any more distant relatives. Such a situation has not to date occurred with the English or British throne, several times an heir apparent has died, however, there have been several female heirs apparent to British peerages. In one special case, however, England and Scotland had an heir apparent. William, by contrast, was to reign for life only, thus, although after Marys death William continued to reign, he had no power to beget direct heirs, and Anne became the heir apparent for the remainder of Williams reign. She eventually succeeded him as Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland, the position of an heir apparent is normally unshakable, it can be assumed they will inherit. Sometimes, however, extraordinary events—such as the death or the deposition of the parent—intervene

3.
Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco
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Prince Moulay Hassan is the heir apparent to the Moroccan throne. He is the oldest child of King Mohammed VI of Morocco and he has a younger sister, Princess Lalla Khadija. He is named after his grandfather Hassan II, if he ascends the throne, in 2015 Hassan began appearing in public with his father at official engagements. Tunisia, Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic

4.
Idris I of Morocco
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Idris I was the first Arab ruler and founder of the Idrisid dynasty, ruling from 788 to 791. He is credited with founding the dynasty that was instrumental in the early Islamization of Morocco and he was the great-great-great grandson of the Islamic Prophet Mohammed. Idris was the grandchild of Hasan, who was the son of Fatimah and grandson of the Islamic prophet. There he established the Arabian Idrisid dynasty, in 789 arrived in Walīla, the site of the Roman Volubilis where he founded the town of Moulay Idriss near the hill of Zerhoun surrounding the native Berber tribes. It was then occupied by the Berber tribe of the Awraba and he married Kenza, daughter of Ishaq ben Mohammed the king of the tribe, fathering a son, Idris II. Idris I conquered large parts of northern Morocco, his son Idris II made Fez the capital city of the Idrisid dynasty, in 789 AD, he captured Tlemcen which became part of the kingdom. This succession of events prompted vengeance from the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid, Idris I was poisoned and died in 791. His son, Idris II, was brought up by the Awraba, Idris is buried in Moulay Idriss. A History of the Maghrib in the Islamic Period

5.
Idrisid dynasty
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The Idrisids were an Arab Zaydi-Shia dynasty of Morocco, ruling from 788 to 974. Named after the founder Idriss I, the grandchild of Hasan ibn Ali. The founder of the dynasty was Idris ibn Abdallah, who traced his ancestry back to Ali ibn Abi Talib and his wife Fatimah, daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. After the Battle of Fakhkh, near Mecca, between the Abbasids and a Shiite party, Idris ibn Abdallah fled to the Maghreb and he first arrived in Tangier, the most important city of Morocco at the time, and by 788 he had settled in Volubilis. The powerful Awraba Berbers of Volubilis took him in and made him their imam, the Awraba tribe was originally from the Tlemcen region and had supported Kusayla in his struggle against the Ummayad armies in the 670s and 680s. By the second half of the 8th century they had settled in northern Morocco, by this time the Awraba were already Muslim, but lived in an area where most tribes were either Christian, Jewish, Khariji or pagan. The Awraba seem to have welcomed a Sharifi imam as a way to strengthen their political position, Idris I, who was very active in the political organization of the Awraba, began by asserting his authority and working toward the subjugation of the Christian and Jewish tribes. In 789 he founded a settlement south east of Volubilis, called Medinat Fas, in 791 Idris I was poisoned and killed by an Abbasid agent. Even though he left no heir, shortly after his death, his concubine Lalla Kanza bint Uqba al-Awrabi, bore him his only son and successor. Idris loyal Arab ex-slave and companion Rashid brought up the boy and took on himself the regency of the state, in 801 Rashid was killed by the Abbasids. In the following year, at the age of 11 years, even though he had spread his authority across much of northern Morocco, as far west as Tlemcen, Idris I had been completely dependent on the Awraba leadership. Idris II began his rule with the weakening of Awraba power by welcoming Arab settlers in Walili, thus he transformed himself from a protégé of the Awraba into their sovereign. The Awraba leader Ishak responded by plotting against his life with the Aghlabids of Tunisia, Idris reacted by having his former protector Ishak killed, and in 809 moved his seat of government from the Awraba dominated Walili to Fes, where he founded a new settlement named Al-Aliya. Idriss II developed the city of Fez, established earlier by his father as a Berber market town, here he welcomed two waves of Arab immigration, one in 818 from Cordoba and another in 824 from Aghlabid Tunisia, giving Fes a more Arab character than other Maghrebi cities. Muhammad himself came to rule Fes, with nominal power over his brothers. During this time Islamic and Arabic culture gained a stronghold in the towns and Morocco profited from the trans-Saharan trade, the Idrisids were principally rulers of the towns and had little power over the majority of the countrys population. The Idrisid family in turn was heavily berberised, with its members aligning itself with the Zenata tribes of Morocco, already in the 870s the family was described by Ibn Qutaybah as being berberised in customs. By the 11th century this process had developed to such an extant, in the 11th century the Hammudid family arose among these Berber Idrisids, which was able to gain power in several cities of northern Morocco and southern Spain

6.
Al-Rashid of Morocco
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Mulai al-Rashid was Sultan of Morocco from 1666 to 1672. He has been called the founder of the Alaouite Dynasty and it was his father Moulay Ali Cherif who took power in Tafilalt around 1630. In 1635 al-Rashids brother Ismail Ibn Sharif succeeded their still living father, after the death of their father, Mulai Mohammed brought Tafilalt, the Draa River valley and the Sahara region under Alaouite power. However due to internal feuding war broke out between the brothers and Mohammed was killed by troops of al-Rashid in 1664, with a small army al-Rashid ruled the east of Morocco. He was able to expand his power and seize Taza, in 1666 he marched into Fes and ended the rule of the zaouia of Dila, a Berber movement which ruled the northern part of Morocco. After subjugating the northern areas of Morocco he also succeeded in capturing Marrakech in 1669. He occupied the Sus and the Little Atlas, which solidified Alaouite control over the entirety of Morocco and he died in Marrakech in 1672 after a fall from his horse, and was succeeded by his half-brother Ismail Ibn Sharif. Al-Rashid was sometimes known as Tafiletta by the English, list of Kings of Morocco History of Morocco

7.
Alaouite dynasty
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The Alaouite dynasty, or Alawite dynasty, is the current Moroccan royal family. The name Alaouite comes from the ‘Alī of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and his son Mulay Al-Rashid was able to unite and pacify the country. The Alaouite family claim descent from Muhammad through his daughter Fāṭimah az-Zahrah and they were hoping that, as he was a descendant of Muhammad, his presence would help to improve their date palm crops thanks to his barakah blessing, an Arabic term meaning a sense of charisma. His descendants began to increase their power in southern Morocco after the death of the Saʻdī ruler Ahmad al-Mansur, in 1669, the last Saʻdī sultan was overthrown in the conquest of Marrakesh by Mulay al-Rashid. After the victory over the zāwiya of Dila, who controlled northern Morocco, he was able to unite, the organization of the sultanate developed under Ismail Ibn Sharif, who, against the opposition of local tribes began to create a unified state. Because the Alaouites had difficult relations with many of the countrys Berber and Bedouin-Arab tribes, Ismaīl formed a new army of black slaves, however, the unity of Morocco did not survive his death—in the ensuing power struggles the tribes became a political and military force once again. Only with Muhammad III could the kingdom be pacified again and the administration reorganized, a renewed attempt at centralization was abandoned, and the tribes were allowed to preserve their autonomy. Under Abderrahmane Morocco fell under the influence of the European powers, when Morocco supported the Algerian independence movement of Emir Abd al-Qadir, it was defeated by the French in 1844 at the Battle of Isly and made to abandon its support. During the reigns of Muhammad IV and Hassan I, the Alaouites tried to foster trading links, above all with European countries, the army and administration were also modernised to improve control over the Berber and Bedouin tribes. With the war against Spain came direct involvement in European affairs, although the independence of Morocco was guaranteed at the Conference of Madrid, the French gained ever greater influence. German attempts to counter growing influence led to the First Moroccan Crisis of 1905–1906. Eventually the Moroccans were forced to recognise the French Protectorate through the Treaty of Fez, at the same time the Rif area of northern Morocco was raised under Spanish control. Under the protectorate, infrastructure was invested in heavily in order to link the Atlantic coastal cities to the hinterland, the Protectorate regime faced opposition from the tribes. In 1930, the Berbers were placed under the jurisdiction of French courts, in 1944, the Istiqlāl was founded and was supported by Sultan Muhammad V. From 1631 to 1666 as princes of Tafilalt, proclaimed at Taza, on the death of his elder half-brother as Sultan of Tafilalt,2 August 1664. Proclaimed as Sultan of Morocco, etc. at Fez,1666, commander of the Faithful Royal Ark Morocco Alaoui dynasty

8.
Dar al-Makhzen (Rabat)
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Dâr-al-Makhzen is the primary and official residence of the king of Morocco. It is situated in the Touarga commune of Rabat, the national capital, since the reign of sultan Muhammad ibn Abdallah, the Alaouite sultans and kings have maintained a palace in Rabat. The current building was built in 1864, to replace the older palace, although kings had many residences at their disposal, when independence was declared in 1955, they chose to keep the Dâr-al-Makhzen palace as the main palace of the monarch. Several important events in the lives of a number of Moroccan royals have taken place in the palace, including Hassan II in 1929, the palace sits at the end of the mechouar, a large parade ground also containing a small mosque. The mechouar is used for public assemblies, such as the return from exile of Muhammad V in 1955. As well as living space for the king and the royal family, there are extensive gardens and grounds surrounding the palace, which were designed with French formality, traditional Arabic motifs and local horticulture in mind. List of official residences Dar el Makhzen

9.
Rabat
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Rabat is the capital of Morocco and its seventh largest city centre with an urban population of approximately 580,000 and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. It is also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra administrative region, the city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. On the facing shore of the river lies Salé, the main commuter town. Rabat, Temara, and Salé form a conurbation of over 1.8 million people, silt-related problems have diminished Rabats role as a port, however, Rabat and Salé still maintain important textile, food processing and construction industries. In addition, tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat one of the most important cities in the country. Once a reputed corsair haven, Rabat served as one of the ports in North Africa for the Barbary pirates. Rabat is accessible by train through the ONCF system and by plane through the nearby Rabat–Salé Airport, the Moroccan capital was ranked at second place by CNN in its Top Travel Destinations of 2013. It is one of four Imperial cities of Morocco, and the medina of Rabat is listed as a World Heritage Site, Rabat has a relatively modern history compared to the nearby ancient city of Salé. In 1146, the Almohad ruler Abd al-Mumin turned Rabats ribat into a fortress to use as a launching point for attacks on Iberia. In 1170, due to its importance, Rabat acquired the title Ribatu l-Fath, meaning stronghold of victory. Yaqub al-Mansur, another Almohad Caliph, moved the capital of his empire to Rabat and he built Rabats city walls, the Kasbah of the Udayas and began construction on what would have been the worlds largest mosque. However, Yaqub died and construction stopped, the ruins of the unfinished mosque, along with the Hassan Tower, still stand today. Yaqubs death initiated a period of decline, the Almohad empire lost control of its possessions in Spain and much of its African territory, eventually leading to its total collapse. In the 13th century, much of Rabats economic power shifted to Fez, in 1515 a Moorish explorer, El Wassan, reported that Rabat had declined so much that only 100 inhabited houses remained. An influx of Moriscos, who had expelled from Spain, in the early 17th century helped boost Rabats growth. Rabat and neighboring Salé united to form the Republic of Bou Regreg in 1627, the republic was run by Barbary pirates who used the two cities as base ports for launching attacks on shipping. The pirates did not have to contend with any central authority until the Alaouite Dynasty united Morocco in 1666, the latter attempted to establish control over the pirates, but failed. European and Muslim authorities continued to attempt to control the pirates over many years, but the Republic of Bou Regreg did not collapse until 1818

10.
Morocco
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Morocco, officially known as the Kingdom of Morocco, is a sovereign country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically, Morocco is characterized by a mountainous interior, large tracts of desert. Morocco has a population of over 33.8 million and an area of 446,550 km2 and its capital is Rabat, and the largest city is Casablanca. Other major cities include Marrakesh, Tangier, Tetouan, Salé, Fes, Agadir, Meknes, Oujda, Kenitra, a historically prominent regional power, Morocco has a history of independence not shared by its neighbours. Marinid and Saadi dynasties continued the struggle against foreign domination, the Alaouite dynasty, the current ruling dynasty, seized power in 1666. In 1912 Morocco was divided into French and Spanish protectorates, with a zone in Tangier. Moroccan culture is a blend of Arab, indigenous Berber, Sub-Saharan African, Morocco claims the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975, leading to a war with indigenous forces until a cease-fire in 1991. Peace processes have thus far failed to break the political deadlock, Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. The King of Morocco holds vast executive and legislative powers, especially over the military, foreign policy, the king can issue decrees called dahirs which have the force of law. He can also dissolve the parliament after consulting the Prime Minister, Moroccos predominant religion is Islam, and the official languages are Arabic and Tamazight. The Moroccan dialect, referred to as Darija, and French are also widely spoken, Morocco is a member of the Arab League, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the African Union. It has the fifth largest economy of Africa, the full Arabic name al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyyah translates to Kingdom of the West, although the West in Arabic is الغرب Al-Gharb. The basis of Moroccos English name is Marrakesh, its capital under the Almoravid dynasty, the origin of the name Marrakesh is disputed, but is most likely from the Berber words amur akush or Land of God. The modern Berber name for Marrakesh is Mṛṛakc, in Turkish, Morocco is known as Fas, a name derived from its ancient capital of Fes. The English name Morocco is an anglicisation of the Spanish Marruecos, the area of present-day Morocco has been inhabited since Paleolithic times, sometime between 190,000 and 90,000 BC. During the Upper Paleolithic, the Maghreb was more fertile than it is today, twenty-two thousand years ago, the Aterian was succeeded by the Iberomaurusian culture, which shared similarities with Iberian cultures. Skeletal similarities have been suggested between the Iberomaurusian Mechta-Afalou burials and European Cro-Magnon remains, the Iberomaurusian was succeeded by the Beaker culture in Morocco

11.
Politics of Morocco
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Politics of Morocco take place in a framework of a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Morocco is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government, legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Assembly of Representatives of Morocco and the Assembly of Councillors. The Moroccan Constitution provides for a monarchy with a Parliament and an independent judiciary, on June 17,2011 King Mohamed VI announced a series of reforms that would transform Morocco into a constitutional monarchy. The constitution grants the king extensive powers, he is both the political leader and the Commander of the Faithful as a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. He presides over the Council of Ministers, appoints the Prime Minister following legislative elections, the King is formally the chief of the military. Upon the death of his father Mohammed V, King Hassan II succeeded to the throne in 1961 and he ruled Morocco for the next 38 years, until he died in 1999. His son, King Mohammed VI, assumed the throne in July 1999, following the March 1998 elections, a coalition government headed by opposition socialist hi Abderrahmane Youssoufi and composed largely of ministers drawn from opposition parties, was formed. It was also the first time in the political history of the Arab world that the opposition assumed power following an election. The current government is headed by Saadeddine Othmani, since the constitutional reform of 1996, the bicameral legislature consists of two chambers. The Assembly of Representatives of Morocco has 325 members elected for a term,295 elected in multi-seat constituencies and 30 in national lists consisting only of women. The Assembly of Councillors has 270 members, elected for a term, elected by local councils. The lower chamber of Parliament may dissolve the government through a vote of no confidence, on November 26,2011 initial results of parliamentary elections were released. The moderate Islamist party, the Justice and Development Party, was projected to win the largest number of seats, however, the electoral rules were structured such that no political party could ever win more than 20 percent of the seats in the parliament. Abdelillah Benkirane was reappointed Prime Minister by the King on 10 October, the Authenticity and Modernity Party won 102 seats, and the rest of the seats were split among smaller parties. The highest court in the structure is the Supreme Court. The Youssoufi government continued to implement a program to develop greater judicial independence. Morocco is divided into 16 administrative regions, the regions are administered by the Walis, Morocco is divided also into 13 prefectures and 62 provinces. Prefectures, Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane, Casablanca, Fès, Inezgane-Aït Melloul, Marrakesh, Meknès, Mohammedia, Oujda-Angad, Rabat, Safi, Salé, Skhirate-Témara and Tangier-Assilah

12.
Constitution of Morocco
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The first Constitution of Morocco was adopted in 1962,6 years after the country regained independence. Since this event, the king, Mohamed V worked for the establishment of political and constitutional institutions. This was originally the creation of the National Advisory Council and, on November 15,1959, a referendum on constitutional reforms was held in Morocco on 1 July 2011. It was called in response to the protests took place earlier in the year demanding democratic reforms. A commission was to draft proposals by June 2011. 49% of voters, despite protest movements calling for a boycott of the referendum, government officials claimed turnout was 72. 65%. Following the referendum, early elections were then held on 25 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02

13.
Makhzen
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The term Makhzen is also popularly used in Morocco as a word meaning State or Government. It is likely a metonymy related to taxes, which the makhzen used to collect, the term may refer to the state. Recently, the term is also being used to describe the police, the word has also been adopted into Spanish, Portuguese with a different meaning, as almacén and armazém, and into French and Italian as magasin and magazzino. It came into the English language from Middle French as magazine, originally referring to a storehouse for ammunition, with the store meaning, it was also adopted from French into Russian as ru, Магазин. In the Berber culture of Morocco, the Berber equivalent of mekhzen would be agadir, Berber tribes also considered the agadir as a powerhouse guarded and managed through a legal system. The Arabic word makhzen is probably a translation of the original Berber word agadir, the Makhzen is a very ancient notion in Morocco, it roughly coincides with the notion of the feudal state predating the French protectorate in Morocco

14.
Saadeddine Othmani
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Saadeddine Othmani is a Berber Moroccan politician and psychiatrist who was appointed as Prime Minister of Morocco on 17 March 2017 and took office on 5 April 2017. Previously he served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2013 and he was born in 1956 in Inezgane, near Agadir, in the Souss region. He obtained a Doctorate in Medicine from Hassan II University of Casablanca in 1986 and he also earned Master and DEA degrees in Islamic studies in 1983,1987 and 1999. He has written books on psychology and Islamic law, and worked as the editor-in-chief of many magazines. In 2004, after the withdrawal from politics of Abdelkrim Alkhatib, Saadeddine Othmani became the head of the Justice and he is also a parliamentary deputy of Inezgane. Saadeddine Othmani was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 3 January 2012 to 10 October 2013 in the government headed by his party and he was succeeded as Minister of Foreign Affairs by Salaheddine Mezouar. Subsequently he headed the group of the PJD. On 17 March 2017, Saadeddine Othmani was appointed as Prime Minister by King Mohammed VI

15.
Parliament of Morocco
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The Parliament of Morocco is the bicameral legislature located in Rabat, the capital of Morocco. The traditional representative system in Morocco was organized through traditional structures such as the assembly by cities and regions. These structures were not elected, but nominated through an cooptation system, from 1880, Morocco began a range of reforms to adapt its institutions to modern standards. Among these reforms the creation of the position of vizier, having a structured and durable cabinet, with six ministries, including foreign affairs, finance. In the process, the Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz decides create an assembly in 1904. It is this assembly that summoned the international conference of Algeciras, and that has drafted the constitution of 1908, the Majlis el Ayane has been dissolved in 1913, as a result of the Treaty of Fez establishing a protectorate. But since 1947, and on impulse Erik Labonne, Resident General of France in Morocco, and the Sultan Mohammed V, the protectorate creates consultative chambers reserved for Moroccans, Jews and Muslims. These elected chambers, through the elections of 1947 and 1951, were in reality only a response of the protectorate system to the nationalists claims expressed en 1944 manifesto of independence. The Istiqlal who accept to participate in the 1947 elections, earning three elected representatives, eventually boycott the 1951 elections, the first chamber was chaired by Mehdi Ben Barka. The first Moroccan Constitution adopted in 1963 created a bicameral parliament consisting of the House of Representatives, the 1970 Constitution abandon bicameralism and opts for a single room. The 1992 Constitution allows elected to committees of inquiries. Under the state of emergency, the Head of State may dissolve Parliament, however, constitutions adopted after that date contained many restrictions of public freedoms, close to the state of emergency. Until 1977, no elected parliament has completed its term, since 1996, the national legislature has become bicameral and has therefore two parliamentary chambers, The House of Representatives or the lower house. 395 members elected directly for a five-year term, the House of Councillorss 270 members are elected indirectly for a six-year term by two sets of electoral colleges. The Members of Parliament come from Morocco and the Moroccan-held parts of Western Sahara, part of the reserve powers, the head of State has the right to dissolve the Parliament. In the past, during the years of lead under King Hassan II, thus, until 1997, not a single elected Parliament was able to complete its term under normal circumstances. The role of Parliament, and the respect of the monarchy for its integrity, has increased considerably since 1999, when Mohammed VI took the throne. However, the power of Parliament is still being limited as it is the King who appoints the prime minister and on proposition from the latter, politics of Morocco Elections in Morocco List of political parties in Morocco List of legislatures by country Official website

16.
Administrative divisions of Morocco
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In Morocco, the 75 second-level administrative subdivisions are 13 prefectures and 62 provinces. They are subdivisions of the 12 regions of Morocco, each prefecture or province is subdivided into arrondissements, municipalities or urban municipalities in other urban areas, and districts in rural areas. The districts are subdivided into rural municipalities, one prefecture is also subdivided into préfectures darrondissements, similar to districts except they are grouping a few arrondissements instead of rural municipalities. Note, The arrondissements and municipalities should probably be thought of as fourth-level subdivisions, on the level as the rural municipalities. The remaining native Western Saharan population now lives as a minority among the new Moroccan occupants, therefore, strictly speaking, the level of wilayas are between the regions and prefectures/provinces. However, they are often used synonymous with regions or prefectures/provinces in common usage, Regions of Morocco List of administrative divisions of Morocco by population List of administrative divisions of Morocco by area ISO 3166-2, MA ISO Administrative divisions Regions of Morocco

17.
Regions of Morocco
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Regions are currently the highest administrative divisions in Morocco. Since 2015 Morocco officially administers 12 regions, including one that lies completely within the territory of Western Sahara. The regions are subdivided into a total of 75 second-order administrative divisions, a region is governed by a directly elected regional council. The president of the council is responsible for carrying out the councils decisions, the commission published provisional names and numbers for the new regions, and their names were officially fixed in the Bulletin Officiel dated 5 March 2015. The new regional councils elected their presidents on 14 September 2015, a. ^ Lies partially or completely within the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Between 1997 and 2010, Morocco had 16 regions, the entirety of Oued Ed-Dahab-Lagouira, the vast majority of Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, and part of Guelmim-Es Semara were situated within the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The sovereignty of Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front which claims the territory as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, most of the region is administered by Morocco as its Southern Provinces. The Polisario Front, based in headquarters at Tindouf in south western Algeria, before 1997, Morocco was divided into 7 regions, Central, Eastern, North-Central, Northwestern, South-Central, Southern, Tansift. Administrative divisions of Morocco Administrative divisions of Morocco ISO 3166-2, MA ISO 3166-2, EH

18.
Elections in Morocco
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Elections in Morocco are held on a national level for the legislature. The Assembly of Representatives of Morocco has 325 members elected for a term,295 elected in multi-seat constituencies and 30 in national lists consisting only of women. The Assembly of Councillors has 270 members, elected for a term, elected by local councils. Since Morocco considers Western Sahara as part of its territory and administers large parts of it, on October 2006, as many as 67 people were arrested for election fraud allegations related to the September 8,2006 polls. Among them there were 17 lawmakers and it was the first time the Moroccan government made such arrests. Source, Elections in Western Sahara Electoral calendar Electoral system Adam Carrs Election Archive

19.
Moroccan general election, 2011
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An early parliamentary election was held in Morocco on 25 November 2011, brought forward from 2012 and then postponed from 7 October 2011. Following a referendum on 1 July 2011, the new constitution was ratified on 13 September,30 parties participated in the elections,18 of which gained seats. Results of the election, in terms of numbers of seats won by party, were announced on 27 November 2011. But no voting figures of any kind were released, and still had not been by the end of 2011 and this was in contrast with the 2007 elections, for which voting figures were released by the Interior Ministry. The official turnout was 45%, but some comments suggested it was much lower, the Justice and Development party won 107 seats, giving it the largest parliamentary representation, although not a majority. According to the new constitution, this made its leader, Abdelillah Benkirane, the 2007 parliamentary elections were the second of King Mohammed VIs reign. They were characterized by a low turnout of 37%,15 points down from that of 2002. The Socialist Union of Popular Forces - the largest party in the outgoing government - unexpectedly lost 12 of its seats. The Istiqlal Party came first with 52 seats, ahead of the Justice and Development Party with 46, a coalition of five parties with a narrow combined majority in the House of Representatives formed a government headed by Abbas El Fassi, the president of the Istiqlal party. Following national protests held in early February 2011 in solidarity with the Egyptian revolution, a youth group, among the demands of the organisers was that the constitutional role of the king should be reduced to its natural size. On 20 February, several thousands of people participated in demonstrations across Morocco, on 26 February, a further protest was held in Casablanca. Further protests were held in Casablanca and Rabat on 20 March, a committee representing various parties was tasked by the king to prepare the new constitution. A draft was published in early June 2011, a referendum for its adoption was conducted on 1 July 2011 and registered a record high participation rate with a 70% turnout, the reforms were passed with 98% approval. The protest movement however, previously called for a boycott of the referendum, consequently, the date of the parliamentary election was brought forward from September 2012 to October 2011. Changes to electoral and administrative law were also significant, the king rescinded his power to appoint prime ministers, obliging himself to appoint a member of the party winning the most seats in a parliamentary election. The office of minister, in turn, was given additional powers to appoint senior civil servants and diplomats. The prime minister replaced the king as the head of government and chair of the government council, the voting system was also changed so that the number of parliamentary seats decided on a constituency basis was increased from 295 to 305. Additional seats were reserved for election from national party lists,60 consisting only of female candidates and 30 for male candidates under the age of 40, in the end, the election was held on 25 November 2011

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Moroccan general election, 2016
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General elections were held in Morocco on 7 October 2016. The ruling Justice and Development Party remained the largest party, winning 125 of the 395 seats in the House of Representatives, abdelillah Benkirane was reappointed Prime Minister by the King on 10 October. The elections were announced by the Moroccan government in late January 2016 and they were the second elections after the constitutional reforms introduced in 2011 by King Mohammed VI in response to the Arab Spring. Despite the reforms, most executive powers still lie with the king, the 2011 elections were won by the Justice and Development Party, which has led the government since then. The party is described as moderate Islamist, but its government coalition included parties with differing ideologies, the incumbent Prime Minister is Abdelilah Benkirane. The largest opposing party is the Party of Authenticity and Modernity, PJD and PAM ran an unusually hostile campaign. The largest Islamist opposition group, Justice and Spirituality, as well as several left-wing organizations boycotted the election, the nationwide seats are reserved, with 60 for women and 30 for people under the age of 40. Under the electoral system no party can win a majority in the parliament, the Justice and Development Party won the most votes and 125 out of the 395 seats. The Authenticity and Modernity Party won 102 seats, and the rest of the seats were split among smaller parties, moroccos election observer body said that the voting was largely free and fair. It reported some cases of vote-buying, but said that they were rare and it also expressed concern about the relatively low turnout. Critics also alleged that the royal establishment used its influence to favour the pro-monarchy PAM, the king chooses a prime minister from the winning party, who must form a coalition. The second-placed Authenticity and Modernity Party spokesman Khalid Adnoun ruled out being part of the coalition and this potentially forces the PJD to partner with multiple smaller parties in order to secure a majority

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Foreign relations of Morocco
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Moroccos relationships vary greatly between African, Arab, and Western states. Morocco has had ties to the West in order to gain economic. France and Spain remain the trade partners, as well as the primary creditors. From the total investments in Morocco, the European Union invests approximately 73. 5%, whereas. Many countries from the Persian Gulf and Maghreb regions are getting involved in large-scale development projects in Morocco. Foreign relations have had a significant impact on economic and social development in Morocco, certain evidence of foreign influence is through the many development projects, loans, investments, and free trade agreements that Morocco has with other countries. An example of recent foreign influence is through loan agreements, Morocco signed three loan agreements with the French Development Agency in 2009, totalling up to 155 million euros. These were for the purpose of reforming the system, rural roads and rehabilitation. Policies associated with foreign relations are determined by the king, King Mohamed VI, Morocco has had a history of monarch rule. For example, the king of Morocco in 1965 suspended parliament and this was in response to the discovery of a plot on the kings life, of which the political party, UNFP, was accused. Foreign relations with western powers became strained as a result of this, portraying Morocco as a democratic state became important if Morocco wished to receive loans and investments by foreign powers. Moroccos current relations with some countries are related to its colonial history, Morocco was secretly partitioned by Spain and France and in 1912 Morocco became a protectorate. After achieving independence in 1956, Morocco still has a relationship with its former colonizers. Spain and France are currently the largest exporting and importing partners to Morocco, French is still popularly spoken and remains the second language in Morocco whilst Spanish is also widespread, particularly in the northern regions. France now is home to more than a million Moroccans legally residing in the country and this is the largest population of Moroccans in a country, followed next by Spain. These former colonizers remain influential in matters, such as development projects, investments, trade. Relations with foreign powers, especially with the West, have also strengthened as Morocco has liberalized its economy. In 1993 there was major privatization and markets were opened up to foreign powers, Morocco now is focusing more on promoting foreign direct investments

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Western Sahara conflict
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The Western Sahara conflict is an ongoing conflict between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco. The conflict is the continuation of the past insurgency by Polisario against the Spanish colonial forces in 1973–75, today the conflict is dominated by unarmed civil campaigns of the Polisario Front and their self-proclaimed SADR state to gain fully recognized independence for Western Sahara. The conflict escalated after the withdrawal of Spain from the Spanish Sahara in accordance with the Madrid Accords, beginning in 1975, the Polisario Front, backed and supported by Algeria, waged a 16-year-long war for independence against Mauritania and Morocco. In 1977, France intervened, as the conflict reached its peak intensity, in 1979, Mauritania withdrew from the conflict and territories, leading to a stalemate through most of the 1980s. After several more engagements between 1989 and 1991, a agreement was reached between the Polisario Front and the Moroccan government. At present, these borders are largely unchanged, in late 2010, the protests re-erupted in the Gdeim Izik refugee camp in Western Sahara. While the protests were peaceful, they were later marked by clashes between civilians and security forces, resulting in dozens of casualties on both sides. Though sporadic demonstrations continue, the movement had subsided by May 2011. In 1884 Spain claimed a protectorate over the coast from Cape Bojador to Cap Blanc, later, the Spanish extended their area of control. In 1958 Spain merged the separate districts of Saguia el-Hamra. Raids and rebellions by the indigenous Sahrawi population kept the Spanish forces out of much of the Spanish-claimed territory for a long time, ma al-Aynayn died in October 1910, and his son El Hiba succeeded him. El Hibas forces were defeated during a campaign to conquer Marrakesh. The city was rebuilt, and Sahrawi resistance continued for the following twenty years. The rebellious territory was subdued in 1934, after joint Spanish. In 1956 the Ifni War, initiated by the Moroccan Army of Liberation, marked renewed conflict in the region, however, unrest lingered among the regions population, and in 1967 the Harakat Tahrir arose to challenge Spanish rule peacefully. In 1971 a group of young Sahrawi students in the universities of Morocco began organizing what came to be known as The Embryonic Movement for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra, as a result of this ambivalence, the movement eventually relocated to Spanish-controlled Western Sahara to start an armed rebellion. Women in Western Sahara are prominent members of the Polisario Front as soldiers, the Polisario Front was formally constituted on 10 May 1973 in the Mauritanian city of Zouirate, with the express intention of militarily forcing an end to Spanish colonization. Its first Secretary General was El-Ouali Mustapha Sayed, on 20 May he led the Khanga raid, the Polisarios first armed action, in which a Spanish post manned by a team of Tropas Nomadas was overrun and a cache of rifles seized

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King
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King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, in the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the title may refer to tribal kingship. Germanic kingship is cognate with Indo-European traditions of tribal rulership In the context of classical antiquity, king may translate Latin rex or either Greek archon or basileus. In classical European feudalism, the title of king as the ruler of a kingdom is understood as the highest rank in the order, potentially subject. In a modern context, the title may refer to the ruler of one of a number of modern monarchies. The title of king is used alongside other titles for monarchs, in the West prince, emperor, archduke, duke or grand duke, in the Middle East sultan or emir, etc. Kings, like other royalty, tend to wear purple because purple was a color to wear in the past. The English term king is derived from the Anglo-Saxon cyning, which in turn is derived from the Common Germanic *kuningaz, the Common Germanic term was borrowed into Estonian and Finnish at an early time, surviving in these languages as kuningas. The English term king translates, and is considered equivalent to, Latin rēx, the Germanic term is notably different from the word for king in other Indo-European languages. It is a derivation from the term *kunjom kin by the -inga- suffix, the literal meaning is that of a scion of the kin, or perhaps son or descendant of one of noble birth. English queen translates Latin regina, it is from Old English cwen queen, noble woman, the Germanic term for wife appears to have been specialized to wife of a king, in Old Norse, the cognate kvan still mostly refers to a wife generally. Scandinavian drottning, dronning is a derivation from *druhtinaz lord. The English word is of Germanic origin, and historically refers to Germanic kingship, the Early Middle Ages begin with a fragmentation of the former Western Roman Empire into barbarian kingdoms. The core of European feudal manorialism in the High Middle Ages were the territories of the kingdom of France, the Holy Roman Empire, in southern Europe, the kingdom of Sicily was established following the Norman conquest of southern Italy. The Kingdom of Sardinia was claimed as a title held by the Crown of Aragon in 1324. In the Balkans, the Kingdom of Serbia was established in 1217, in eastern-central Europe, the Kingdom of Hungary was established in AD1000 following the Christianisation of the Magyars. The kingdoms of Poland and Bohemia were established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1025 and 1198, in Eastern Europe, the Kievan Rus consolidated into the Grand Duchy of Moscow, which did not technically claim the status of kingdom until the early modern Tsardom of Russia. In northern Europe, the kingdoms of the Viking Age by the 11th century expanded into the North Sea Empire under Cnut the Great, king of Denmark, England

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Fatimid Caliphate
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The Fatimid Caliphate was an Ismaili Shia Islamic caliphate that spanned a large area of North Africa, from the Red Sea in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The dynasty ruled across the Mediterranean coast of Africa and ultimately made Egypt the centre of the caliphate, at its height the caliphate included in addition to Egypt varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz. The Fatimids claimed descent from Fatima bint Muhammad, the daughter of Islamic prophet Muhammad, in 921 the Fatimids established the Tunisian city of Mahdia as their new capital. In 948 they shifted their capital to Al-Mansuriya, near Kairouan in Tunisia, in 969 they conquered Egypt and established Cairo as the capital of their caliphate, Egypt became the political, cultural, and religious centre of their empire. The ruling class belonged to the Ismaili branch of Shiism, as did the leaders of the dynasty, the existence of the caliphate marked the only time the descendants of Ali through Fatimah were united to any degree and the name Fatimid refers to Fatimah. The different term Fatimite is sometimes used to refer to the caliphates subjects, after the initial conquests, the caliphate often allowed a degree of religious tolerance towards non-Ismaili sects of Islam, as well as to Jews, Maltese Christians, and Egyptian Coptic Christians. The Fatimid caliphate was also distinguished by the role of Berbers in its initial establishment and in helping its development, especially on the military. During the late eleventh and twelfth centuries the Fatimid caliphate declined rapidly and he founded the Ayyubid dynasty and incorporated the Fatimid state into the Abbasid Caliphate. The Fatimid regime lasted until the twelfth century, though its leaders made little headway in persuading the Egyptian population. The Fatimid Caliphates religious ideology originated in an Ismaili Shia movement launched in the 9th century in Salamiyah, Syria by their eighth Imam and he claimed descent through Ismail, the seventh Ismaili Imam, from Fatimah and her husband ʻAlī ibn-Abī-Tālib, the first Shīʻa Imām. Thus his name was al-Fātimiyyūn Fatimid, the eighth to tenth Imams, remained hidden and worked for the movement against the periods times rulers. According to legend, Abdullah and his son were fulfilling a prophecy that the mahdi would come from Mesopotamia to Sijilmasa. They hid among the population of Sijilmasa, then an independent emirate, for four years under the countenance of the Midrar rulers, al-Mahdi was supported by dedicated Shiite Abu Abdullah al-Shii, and al-Shii started his preaching after he encountered a group of Muslim North African during his hajj. These men bragged about the country of the Kutama in western Ifriqiya, and the hostility of the Kutama towards, and their independence from. This triggered al-Shii to travel to the region, where he started to preach the Ismaili doctrine, the Berber peasants, who had been oppressed for decades by the corrupt Aghlabid rule, would prove themselves to be a perfect basis for sedition. Instantly, al-Shii began conquering cities in the region, first Mila, then Sétif, Kairouan, and eventually Raqqada, in 909 Al-Shii sent a large expedition force to rescue the Mahdi, conquering the Khariji state of Tahert on its way there. After gaining his freedom, Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah became the leader of the state and assumed the position of imam. The Fatimids existed during the Islamic Golden Age, the dynasty was founded in 909 by the eleventh Imam ʻAbdullāh al-Mahdī Billah

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Almoravid dynasty
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The Almoravid dynasty was a Berber imperial dynasty of Morocco. It established an empire in the 11th century that stretched over the western Maghreb, founded by Abdallah ibn Yasin, the Almoravid capital was Marrakesh, a city they founded in 1062. The dynasty originated among the Lamtuna and the Gudala, nomadic Berber tribes of the Sahara and this enabled them to control an empire that stretched 3,000 kilometers north to south. However, the rule of the dynasty was relatively short-lived, the Almoravids fell—at the height of their power—when they failed to quell the Masmuda-led rebellion initiated by Ibn Tumart. As a result, their last king Ishaq ibn Ali was killed in Marrakesh in April 1147 by the Almohad Caliphate, who replaced them as a ruling dynasty both in Morocco and Al-Andalus. The term Almoravid comes from the Arabic al-Murabitun, which is the form of al-Murabit—literally meaning one who is tying. The term is related to the notion of Ribat, a frontier monastery-fortress, another theory states that the name Almoravid comes from a school of Malikite law called Dar al-Murabitin founded in Sus al-Aksa, modern day Morocco, by a certain scholar named Waggag Ibn Zallu. Ibn Zallu sent his student Abdallah ibn Yasin to preach Malikite Islam to the Sanhaja Berbers of the Adrar, hence, the name of the Almoravids comes from the followers of the Dar al-Murabitin, the house of those who were bound together in the cause of God. It is uncertain exactly when or why the Almoravids acquired that appellation, al-Bakri, writing in 1068, before their apex, already calls them the al-Murabitun, but does not clarify the reasons for it. Ibn Idhari wrote that the name was suggested by Ibn Yasin in the persevering in the fight sense,1054, in which they had taken many losses. Whichever explanation is true, it seems certain the appellation was chosen by the Almoravids for themselves, the name might be related to the ribat of Waggag ibn Zallu in the village of Aglu, where the future Almoravid spiritual leader Abdallah ibn Yasin got his initial training. Contemporaries frequently referred to them as the al-mulathimun, the Almoravids veiled themselves below the eyes with a tagelmust, a custom they adapted from southern Sanhaja Berbers. Although practical for the desert dust, the Almoravids insisted on wearing the veil everywhere, as a badge of foreignness in urban settings and it served as the uniform of the Almoravids. Under their rule, sumptuary laws forbade anybody else from wearing the veil, in turn, the succeeding Almohads made a point of mocking the Almoravid veil as symbolic of effeminacy and decadence. The western Sanhaja had been converted to Islam some time in the 9th century and they were subsequently united in the 10th century and, with the zeal of neophyte converts, launched several campaigns against the Sudanese. Under their king Tinbarutan ibn Usfayshar, the Sanhaja Lamtuna erected the citadel of Awdaghust, after the collapse of the Sanhaja union, Awdagust passed over to the Ghana empire, and the trans-Saharan routes were taken over by the Zenata Maghrawa of Sijilmassa. The Maghrawa also exploited this disunion to dislodge the Sanhaja Gazzula and Lamta out of their pasturelands in the Sous, around 1035, the Lamtuna chieftain Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Tifat, tried to reunite the Sanhaja desert tribes, but his reign lasted less than three years. Around 1040, Yahya ibn Ibrahim, a chieftain of the Gudala, on his return, he stopped by Kairouan in Ifriqiya, where he met Abu Imran al-Fasi, a native of Fes and a jurist and scholar of the Sunni Maliki school

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Abu Bakr ibn Umar
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Abu Bakr ibn Umar ibn Ibrahim ibn Turgut, sometimes suffixed al-Sanhaji or al-Lamtuni was a chieftain of the Lamtuna Berber Tribe and commander of the Almoravids from 1056 until his death. Abu Bakr ibn Umar was a member of the Banu Turgut and his brother, Yahya ibn Umar al-Lamtuni was the chieftain of the Lamtuna who invited the Maliki teacher Abdallah ibn Yasin, and together launched the Almoravid movement in the early 1050s. Upon the death of Yahya ibn Umar in the Spring of 1056 at the Battle of Tabfarilla and that same year, Abu Bakr recaptured Sijilmassa from the Maghrawa of the Zenata confederation. The city had taken earlier by Yahya, but subsequently lost. In order to ensure they did not lose Sijilmassa again, Abu Bakr launched a campaign to secure the roads, Abu Bakr led the conquest of the Sous valley of southern Morocco, seizing the local capital of Taroudannt in 1057. Delighted at the apparent ease of their advance, Abdallah ibn Yasin, Abu Bakr, who was them mopping up the area north of Aghmat, wheeled the Almoravid army and conquered the Berghwata in a brutal campaign of revenge. The death of the spiritual leader Abdallah ibn Yasin left the Almoravids under the command of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr continued carrying out the Almoravid program without assuming the pretence of religious authority in himself, Abu Bakr, like later Almoravid rulers, took up the comparatively modest title of amir al-Muslimin, rather than the caliphal amir al-Muminin. Abu Bakr married the wealthiest woman in Aghmat, Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyah, but Abu Bakr, a rustic desert warrior, found crowded Aghmat and its courtly life stifling. Abu Bakr placed his cousin Yusuf ibn Tashfin in charge of Aghmat, in a series of campaigns through the 1060s, while Abu Bakr held court in Marrakesh, Yusuf directed Almoravid armies against northern Morocco, reducing Zenata strongholds one by one. In 1070, the Moroccan capital of Fez finally fell to the Almoravids, discontent, however, had arisen in the Almoravid ranks, particularly among the desert clans back in the Sahara, who regarded these distant northern campaigns as expensive and pointless. The Guddala tribe, who had broken away from the Almoravid coalition. After the fall of Fez, feeling Morocco was now secure, Abu Bakr decided it was time to return to the Sahara and he placed Yusuf ibn Tashfin in charge of Morocco in his absence. As was common among the Sanhaja tribes before extended military campaigns, Abu Bakr divorced Zaynab before he left, having quelled the discontent back in the Sahara, Abu Bakr returned north to Morocco in 1072. But Yusuf ibn Tashfin had enjoyed his taste of power, and was reluctant to give it up, pushed by his new wife, Zaynab, Yusuf met Abu Bakr in the plain of Burnoose and, by negotiation, persuaded him to abdicate the northern dominions to him. As a courtesy to his leader, Yusuf kept Abu-Bakrs name on the Almoravid coinage until his death. Abu Bakr returned to the Sahara desert to command the wing of the Almoravids. He launched a new set of campaigns against the dominions of the Ghana Empire in 1076 and is credited with initiating the spread of Islam on the southern periphery of the Sahara